The empty tomb—whatever they found, whatever it meant—wasn’t the end. It was just the beginning.
LONGINUS SPURRED FEROX up the last hill and pulled him to a halt at the top. The sun had risen on the eastern horizon, its rays glowing gold at the edge of the world and tipping the clouds with pink. A garden lay in the valley below. Green grass sparkling with dew surrounded it like an emerald sea. A soft breeze, scented with mint and a hint of cloves, swept up the hill and eddied around them.
A few men gathered at the mouth of a cave near the edge of the garden. Longinus recognized two—the young disciple from Gethsemane and the older one who had taken the sword to Caiaphas. Nearby, the women who had been at the cross knelt beside a massive stone, as big as an altar, split down the middle as though hit by lightning.
His eyes swept over the land before him. What was this? People hurried from every direction—groups of two and three—as though late to a feast.
From the north, Galileans in traveling clothes rushed, their voices raised in wonder. A group of women with children in their arms followed. From the western gate of the city came Cyrenians—the man who had carried the cross and his family. And behind them, two men: a tall form he recognized though he couldn’t see his scar, Stephen, with Joseph the Pharisee beside him.
Nissa sat up straighter and pointed. “It’s Cedron and the Zealots.”
Yes, there were the would-be rebels and Cedron coming from the Dung Gate. Longinus caught his breath as sun glinted off armor. “Look. Marcellus. And . . . is that Cornelius?” This God is full of surprises.
They came from every direction. Drops forming trickles, trickles joining into streams, streams converging into rivers. All flowing toward the empty tomb.
“What does it mean?” Nissa breathed.
What could it mean? All of them: men and women, Jew and Gentile, rich and poor. Pharisees, Zealots, Samaritans, and pagans. A paltry number—not even half a cohort—but what did numbers matter when your king was the son of God? Longinus pulled Nissa closer and spurred Ferox down the hill to join the conflux. It can only mean one thing.
The revolution had begun.
Acknowledgments
A BOOK IS NEVER the accomplishment of just one person. Without the encouragement, prayers, and skills of family, friends, and colleagues, I doubt any story would make the journey from idea to final production, and The Thief was no exception.
Thank you, Bruce, my husband of almost twenty-five years. They say that opposites attract; then they drive each other crazy. I prefer to see you as my other half. Thank you for sharing your life with me.
To Rachel, Andy, Joey, and Anna, I’m grateful for every day I get to be your mom. Thank you for your never-ending optimism and encouragement.
Thanks to my family, especially Mom and Dad—examples of real love and enduring faith. To my sister Rachel, for your ridiculous confidence in me and excellent brainstorming in the earliest stages of The Thief. And to my sisters Jennifer and Rebecca and my brother, Steve: thanks for your enthusiastic support. Love you all.
Thank you, Laura Sobiech and Anne Brown. Through joy and laughter, heartbreak and tears, you both have shown an amazing strength and holiness that inspires me. It is an honor to call you friends.
Every writer needs critiquers she can trust. I’m blessed with those who are both gentle and brutally honest: Regina Jennings, Cathi-Lyn Dyck, Wendy Tarbox, and Cheryl Boom. Thank you, my skilled and outspoken friends. You make it possible for me to hit “send” with confidence.
Chris Park, it’s a privilege to have an agent like you. Thanks for being my advocate and holding my hand when I need it. To the team at Howard Books, especially Jessica Wong, thank you for your skill and wisdom, and Bruce Gore, for your beautiful cover designs.
As always, the Holy Spirit was with me every moment, bringing people into my life at just the right time to inspire, guide, and lift me up. May I always hear and heed the whisperings of the Spirit.
A Howard Reading Group Guide
The Thief
Stephanie Landsem
Introduction
The second book in The Living Water Series, The Thief, tells the story of two unlikely friends—a Roman centurion and a poor Jewish girl living in first-century Jerusalem during the height of Jesus’ ministry. Longinus, the Roman centurion, feels aimless in the wake of his friend’s tragic death, while Nissa is overwhelmed by guilt about her secret life as a thief. Together they witness Jesus restore sight to Nissa’s blind brother, and increasingly find themselves drawn toward this healer and prophet. Could Jesus be the answer to their prayers?
Questions and Topics for Discussion
1. “You aren’t worth dying for, Mouse. Nobody is”. Discuss this first introduction to Mouse and Dismas, the two best thieves in Jerusalem. How would you characterize them? How does this statement foreshadow later events in the story? Do you think it’s possible to be both a “good” and “bad” person? Use examples from the story and your own life to support your answer.
2. On this page, a possible theme of the novel emerges when Nissa concludes, “She was a failure at everything—everything but stealing.” How does failure haunt both Nissa and Longinus? What have they each “failed” to do? Do you think failure is a motivation for the choices they make?
3. Consider the main characters’ relationships with their parents. In what ways are they typical relationships? In what ways are they atypical?
4. Cedron’s faith in God is unshakable. On this page, he prays, “The Lord is my strength and my shield . . . my heart trusts in him and I am helped.” Why does Nissa not share her brother’s faith? What makes her believe God has abandoned her?
5. Revisit the scene where Jesus cures Cedron of his blindness, beginning on this page and running through this page. Is this scene similar to the story found in the Bible? How does the event act as a catalyst for the rest of the happenings in the novel—both good and bad?
6. In the beginning of the story, Nissa is in a somewhat unique position in her family as the sole breadwinner. Consider the ways in which Nissa defies expectations as a woman living in first-century Jerusalem. Would you call her a rebel? Why or why not?
7. At what moment do you think Longinus and Nissa fall in love? What is ironic about their love story?
8. Discuss the character of Longinus. Do you like him? In what ways does his character change throughout the story?
9. What symbolism can you glean from Nissa’s alternate persona, “Mouse”? How is she a “mouse” in her life as a thief? As Nissa?
10. “She climbed the steps up to the shimmering water. She wouldn’t bathe today. No amount of water, no matter how pristine, would wash away her guilt. No almsgiving would atone for her sin”. Talk about Nissa’s role in the murder of the priest. Do you think that Nissa is guilty? Why or why not?
11. On his way to the garden of Gethsemane, Longinus’s “feet seemed to fly along the stones”. For the first time since his friend’s death, Longinus has light feet and an unburdened heart. What reasons can you give for Longinus’s new outlook on life?
12. In what way(s) is Nissa’s situation with Dismas similar to Judas’s situation with Jesus? Draw similarities between the two situations—who is Nissa most like, Jesus or Judas?
13. On this page, Pilate says, “Sometimes the innocent have to pay the price for the guilty.” Explain how this is true in several instances in The Thief.
14. What is “the revolution” referred to at the end of the story? Do you think that Longinus and Nissa live happily ever after?
Enhance Your Book Club
1. The Thief explores a moment in history that is still very much a part of our collective unconscious—the execution of Jesus and his subsequent resurrection. Have a movie night with your book club and watch The Passion of the Christ (2004). Is the Jesus depicted in the movie similar to the Jesus depicted in The Thief? Can you find similarities between the novel and the movie?
2. On this page, Longinus wonders to himself
what he would “give to find the peace [Stephen] had?” In many ways, Stephen represents a turning point for Longinus—a man he had wanted to find and put to death, but then decides to forgive and release. What did Longinus ultimately give to find the peace Stephen has? Share with your group what this sort of peace would look like for you. How would it manifest in your life? What would you give—or have you given—to have such peace?
3. Revisit the scene on this page when Nissa goes to the Pool of Siloam and struggles to decide if she should accept Longinus’s marriage proposal. Plan a trip with your book club to a local pool, lake, or beach. Ask each member to share a time when they had to make a tough decision. How did you decide what to do? In retrospect, did you make the right decision? Did Nissa?
A Conversation with Stephanie Landsem
1. Your Living Water Series involves serious and intense research on first-century life. Describe the process that went into the making of this novel. What was the most challenging part of your research project?
I like to think of research for a new book like the beginning of an archeological dig. I start by mapping out where I need to dig—where I need a little information and where I need to go deeper—then I delve in. Sometimes, I find exactly what I’m expecting, and that’s great. But on the best days, I unearth entirely unexpected bits of information that can flesh out a character, bring the setting to life, or even change the course of the story. I love when that happens! The most challenging part of research is knowing when to stop—when to put away the research books and start writing the story that has taken shape in my head.
2. The Thief is a fiction story based on historical events. In your estimation, how much of this story is true? How much is made-up? What is the line between fiction and fact, and is it important to you in the writing process?
Each book in The Living Water Series is based on an actual encounter with Jesus as recorded in the Gospel of John: the woman at the well, the man born blind, and the raising of Lazarus. I stay true to these accounts, but from them I can branch out into conjecture and imagination. I don’t want to rewrite the Bible, and I know that’s not what my readers want either. What I want to do is imagine the settings, the culture, and the historical era so well that when my readers go back to the pages of the Bible, it is with fresh eyes and a new understanding.
3. Who is your favorite character in the story and why?
I love Nissa. She’s rough around the edges, quick-tempered, and speaks her mind even if it gets her in trouble. But she’s also lonely and hurt. Underneath her tough exterior, she wants what we all want: security and love—and she’s looking for it in all the wrong places. I like to think that if I lived in her time, I would have been the friend she so desperately needed.
4. How did you come to be a writer?
I’ve always loved to read. As a child, I probably got in trouble more often for late-night reading than for just about anything else. Reading is a way to live many lives, to visit other times, places, and even new worlds. You know you’ve read a good book when, after the last page, you feel like you’ve been changed in some way. I wanted to do that, too. I wasn’t at all sure I could, but with lots of prayer, hard work, and tons of encouragement from my family and friends, I hope that I’m becoming the writer I’ve always wanted to be.
5. Do you consider Nissa somewhat of a renegade, especially for her era?
I think Nissa didn’t want to be different. She wished she could be like other women. She knew that stealing—not to mention pretending to be a boy—was wrong, but because of her own failings and her family life, she felt she had no choice. I think many women, especially young women under the influence of our culture, can find themselves backed into a corner much like Nissa, with seemingly nowhere to go and no one to turn to. And unfortunately, I think many of them feel as abandoned by God as she did.
6. The story weaves between Nissa’s and Longinus’s points of view. Ultimately, whose story is this?
Both Nissa and Longinus witness a miracle and try to make sense of what they see: Nissa as an insider—a Jewish woman—trapped by her own laws and culture, and Longinus as an outsider looking in and not understanding what he sees. I think the reader ultimately gets to decide which character they identify with the most.
7. According to your bio, you’ve explored ancient ruins and historic buildings across the world. Is there a particular place you’ve visited that inspired the setting for The Thief?
I wish I could say Jerusalem inspired the setting, but I have yet to visit the Holy Land, although it is on the top of my wish list. When I picture the settings in The Thief, I often think of the narrow streets and cramped marketplaces of Tangier, Morocco—one of my most memorable travel experiences. The streets teemed with people and animals, and the markets overflowed with shouting merchants, colorful rugs, and every kind of food. Even though it was crowded, chaotic, and a little frightening, I loved it.
8. Share with us your literary influences? Where do you go for inspiration?
Like many Christian writers, I love Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, and George MacDonald. I often go back to their books to be inspired by their skill, wisdom, and imagination. When I read just for fun (which isn’t often enough), I’m all over the place: historical fiction, mysteries, thrillers, and sometimes YA and middle-grade fiction, so that I can talk books with my kids. Any good book, regardless of genre, that keeps me turning pages and leaves me satisfied at the end is an inspiration.
9. What would you name as the major theme(s) of this story? What do you hope readers will remember about your novel?
Many Christians, myself included, have heard the story of Jesus’ crucifixion so many times, we can hardly grasp its meaning. I hoped that by showing a parallel story—Dismas as the innocent man giving up his life for a sinful woman—we could envision Jesus’ sacrifice for us with new eyes and better understand its profound impact in a more personal way.
10. Can you share some news about your next novel in The Living Water Series—The Tomb?
The third book in the series tells of the ultimate miracle performed by Jesus not long before his crucifixion—the raising of Lazarus as witnessed by his sister, Martha. Everyone in Bethany admires Martha, the perfect Jewish woman. But Martha harbors a shameful secret, one that will shatter her spotless reputation in Bethany and destroy those she loves most. When her brother Lazarus falls ill, Martha must choose between the safety of the tomb she has built for herself and stepping out to receive ‘the better part’ offered to her by Jesus.
Turn the page for a peek at Stephanie Landsem’s novel:
THE Well
Available from Howard Books
Chapter 1
DREAD COILED LIKE an asp in Mara’s belly as the watery light of dawn seeped through the chinks in the roof of the clay house.
Only a short span of dirt floor stretched between her mother’s corner of their one-room house to where Mara and her little brother lay pressed against its farthest wall. Mara’s worn cloak, pulled over their heads like a shield, had failed to block out the carnal whispers that had drifted through the confines of the dark room during the long night. Shame and fear had twined with tormented dreams until she prayed for dawn.
Now, as the murky beams of weak light puddled on the floor, Mara raised her head and strained to see through the gloom. Is Alexandros still here?
Relief trickled through her stiff limbs. Her mother slept alone in the corner. When had Alexandros left? And where did he go? How could Mama be so foolish? Please, Lord, let no one find out about him.
Mara’s bare arms, prickly with cold, were wrapped around Asher’s small warm body.
She slipped from under her cloak and eased herself away from her little brother. As she kissed his smooth cheek and tucked the tattered wool around his shoulders, he opened his sleep-clouded eyes.
“Shh, my sweet, go back to your dreams,” she whispered, rubbing his back. Asher garbled a few words, wedged his thumb in his mouth, and closed his eyes again. Mara strok
ed his back until his mouth went slack and his breath buzzed in a steady rhythm.
Silently, she crept past her sleeping mother. Nava lay crumpled in the corner like a pile of dirty rags. She would not stir until mid-morning. Then she would act as if nothing had happened, as if she’d done nothing wrong.
Alexandros, a pagan from Sebaste, had visited her mother before. He didn’t seem concerned about Nava’s reputation. He ate their food, little as there was, complimenting Nava more boldly and laughing more loudly after each cup of wine.
Each time, they had been lucky. No one in Sychar seemed to know of his visits. Not yet. But the Sychar Samaritans did not abide sinners in their midst. When they found out—and they would find out—the strict townspeople would turn on them. They would surely stop providing the barley and oil that Mara’s family needed so desperately. They could, according to the law, march down the hill and drive them out of Sychar. No one in Samaria would take in a disgraced woman, a crippled boy, and a daughter old enough to be married.
Starvation or exile. Which was worse?
Mara stepped outside into the damp chill of dawn. The birds, chattering more loudly as crimson light stained the eastern sky, seemed to be scolding her. They should be scolding her mother. What are you doing to us, Mama?
Tall cedars and even taller mountains surrounded the little house, throwing dark shadows over the doorway and onto the front courtyard carved out of the scrubby bushes. A jumble of chipped clay pots and jars sat along the wall next to piles of straw and kindling. A few paces away, a whisper of smoke rose from the black remains of the cooking fire.
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